By Angel Lopez:
Leo Season is one of my favorites, and August finds us right in the middle of it. Leo calls you out into the light, sparking your creative drive and enthusiasm for life. It’s an energetic time when you feel more compelled to play. Now, of course, this is a very different Leo Season, as it’s a very different world than the one we’ve all been used to living in. But, there’s no avoiding that the Leo energy wants out, so we all must do our best to lean into the highest vibration of its expression.
The number one thing to bypass during this season is ego, and not just the negative side of your own. Just know that everyone may be feeling really important, and you must let them. Just don’t let it get in the way of doing what you need to do to be your most hopeful self. And allowing the Sun’s Leo fire to guide you toward hope is key. Try to focus yourself on getting excited for what is possible. Ask yourself, “What generates joy in my heart?” Then, go toward that. Also do what you can to find more moments of levity, to gear your mind and heart toward the lighter side of life, as best you can. Yes, your strength is still in high demand this season. But with the right attitude, you just may feel more capable of calling it forth when you need to.
August opens with an opposition between Mercury, the God of communication, and Pluto, the God of transformation. Pluto is interested in what makes us tick, on both an emotional and soulful level, and it wants you to see your shadow elements too. What usually lurks in the shadows can be pieces of you that you’re not entirely comfortable with or parts of the past that still linger in the present. Pluto is just saying that you must think about these things in order to move through this moment and head toward the greater transformation that this year is inviting you into. Ponder whether you need to make any mental adjustments in order to step more fully into your personal power. Are there ideas or perceptions that are still around from your past that are keeping you from stepping forward? Know this could be an emotional one; shadow spots usually are. But remember, shadows are not for hiding in; they are actually reflections of your light.
August 3rd brings on the Aquarius Full Moon. This full moon asks you to look at how you can contribute to the collective in a creative, powerful way. You have something unique to offer toward the causes that you care about, so you can use this time to push yourself toward taking part in only the way that you know how to. Use this as a chance to step out into the light and own what you believe. If you can’t feel proud of and/or stand by your values in front of a crowd, then perhaps they aren’t your values. Or, you may just be afraid to let others see the true you. Now is the time to be unafraid and confident, boldly standing up for what matters.
We all must play a role in making the great dream for our world come true, so dial in to the role that Spirit wants you to play. Know that to do so, you must be responsible for your words. They hold power, so have integrity with what you speak. It can be scary to expose your vulnerable nature, but you must align your voice directly with your truth. This could play out close to home, so you may have to stand up for your beliefs amongst your family. If this is the case, you may find that if you can communicate with conviction, you may be met with respect instead of antagonism.
August 4th is also a powerhouse day as Mars, the planet of action, has a challenge from Jupiter, the planet of personal growth and expansion. This is a “push you toward growth” energy. A challenge to be ambitious, or to ask yourself why you’ve kept yourself from being ambitious enough. It’s a good day to push through any obstacles that may have been getting in your way. They’re most likely external obstacles, but they could also be tied to your own confidence. Just know that even still, things might not move forward as far as you’d like them to, or at least as quickly as you’d like. But don’t look at anything as a failure. It’s just that Jupiter has a bigger plan in store. You’ll experience this exact transit again on October 18th, so there’s a large portal of time here to see things progress.
Mercury also enters Leo at this time, where it will be through August 19th. Your mind and communication style leave the soft, emotional waters of Cancer for the heightened excitement of Leo. Your ideas get a flood of energy and a flair for the drama as your perceptions take on a greater level of emotion. Creativity also comes into major play; just make sure that you’re using it for good. Mercury’s run through Leo can lead you to generate some stories about your life that aren’t exactly grounded in reality. Be a star in your life without making your life a telenovela. And be playful with your ideas. You can also be proud but not prideful. It’s important not to get caught up in any ego-driven activity in the mind, unless it’s for the good of all. Know that everyone is experiencing this, so try your best to be collaborative too.
On August 7th, Venus enters Cancer, where she’ll be until September 6th. With this, the queen of relationships enters her most nurturing space. With Venus in Cancer, you may feel the maternal drive toward others in your life. It’s a time to connect with people through your heart. There’s also a pull toward family, or those who feel like family. You want to feel at home in your relationships during this time. There’s heightened sensitivity around relationships too, so anticipate some prickly moments with folks. You may feel like isolating a bit, or feel more protective of your emotional space. Don’t force yourself to engage with people who aren’t in your comfort zone.
Mars and Pluto have a big convergence on August 13th, and because of some later retrogrades, they’ll do so again twice more later this year. This is an intense combination and can be very contentious at its lowest vibration. At its highest vibration, this can be a time of strong, creative change from within. Mars in Aries wants to get moving. It has ideas and impulses that it wants to act on. Its creative and excited, and it wants to lead the charge. Pluto in Capricorn is interested in deep, internal shifts that serve the bigger picture. Pluto is slow and steady in how it evokes change. It's soulful and intense, and it wants you to make changes that serve the long-term goals. This is a good time to ask, “Are my actions serving the greater changes that I’m trying to bring into my life?” Also, “Could I be more creative in approaching my goals and ambitions?” The answers may present an antagonistic challenge to surmount in some area of life. Your ego may feel the urge to go one way, but your soul’s compass isn’t having it. The ego and the soul must communicate in order to make this work.
The Leo New Moon occurs on August 18th. This is a good moon for intention setting. To challenge yourself to create a bigger future for yourself. If the new world could be the one you imagine, how would you want to fully express yourself in it? If you could do anything, be anywhere, where would it be? Take an action that supports this vision, even if it’s simply just metaphoric for now. This new moon has a close relationship with Mercury, so our minds are involved with painting the picture. It wants optimism. They all make a trine to Mars and the asteroid Lilith, so there’s an energy there that’s tied to what we really want deep down. What have we always wanted but maybe didn’t believe we deserve? Do what you can to dream beyond any of your current mental limitations with this one. As the Leo Queen Madonna sang, “There's only so much you can learn in one place. The more that you wait, the more time that you waste.”
On August 19th, Mercury comes home to one of its home signs when it enters Virgo, where it will be until September 5th. Here, it gets to be analytical and chatty and helpful, but it can also be overcritical and heady too. To keep positive, you must have a strong connection with the mind during this time. It lets you get into the details of how you’re going to solve any problem. With this shift, communication picks up like crazy, so prepare for a lot of phone calls and emails to be swarming your way. This will be a very productive time, and lots can get done in this window, especially when the Sun shifts into Virgo on the 22nd. It adds even more energy behind the busy mental interplay you’ll be having with yourself as well as with others.
Lastly, Mars squares Saturn on the 24th. This could be a clash with authority or some sort of apprehension from outside sources to move forward. You may also find yourself tasked with some more responsibilities than you first expected. If you experience any sort of challenge here, see it a learning opportunity.
This month has so much potential. Try your best to take advantage of it without burning yourself out. You still need to find time to chill and take care of you. Remember, through all of this, let joy be your compass. If it doesn’t look to be on the horizon of the current path you’re on, consider pivoting to a different direction. You deserve to be in the light of your life.
Angel Lopez is a film producer, writer, astrologer, and co-host of the podcast, THE SPIRITUAL GAYZ alongside his husband, our Spiritual Guru Brandon Alter. Angel has been studying and working with both tarot and astrology for twenty years. He hosted the astrology web-series, ASTRO TALK WITH ANGEL, and writes the blog ASTROLOGY REALNESS. He has also had pieces published on Upworthy.com and The Huffington Post.
On the film side, Angel produced the Sundance Film Festival award winning film DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, as well as the features THE DINNER and STATE LIKE SLEEP. He also wrote and directed his own short film, I CAN’T WITH YOU, which had its premiere at the 2016 HollyShorts Film Festival, and he recently finished producing filmmaker Justin Simien’s second feature, BAD HAIR.